…celebrating our Dreamkeeper pups and mums to be…

Monthly Archives: July 2015

I always look at 8 week old puppies with wonder when I consider how far they have come in 8 short weeks!! Hard to believe that the same bunch that are now scurrying through bushes and over the lawn were arriving one by one, fragile and helpless only 8 weeks ago!

The pups have had a great week and the weather has certainly supported their adventurous side. They have a “home base” underneath the shady birch tree just off our deck area – but they love to venture off to the pine trees or down by the lake to see what treasures they might find. Sticks have really become the object of choice this week – although they seem to be entertained by just about anything that they can fit into their mouth and carry around. The warmer weather this past week brought to the forefront the pups’ excavating skills and they quickly learned that creating a fresh hole in the garden, just behind the boxwoods is a great way to fight off the mid day heat!

The pups all had an excellent visit to the vet this week and even enjoyed the car ride. They are always a big hit at the clinic and everyone stops what they are doing to take in their cuteness. Visiting pet families at the clinic also dote on the pups — so it is always the highlight of the week.

The pups have all continued to mature over this past week – becoming more attached and observant where our family is concerned and listening much more intently to commands and conversation. They are an extremely intelligent bunch so I will be excited to hear where their new paths will lead them. Hopefully they will remember their time here with fondness and we are sincerely grateful to the very loving families that will take over from here and give each of these pups a meaningful life of their own. We are sad to start our goodbyes to these little pups – but can’t wait to see how much joy and laughter they bring to their new families in the days to come!

Nina’s pups have had a great week with lots of time outside exploring and playing. They have broadened their horizons and now spend time playing beneath our big pine trees and down by the water. They always seem to find some new treasure, whether it be a pine cone, a twig or even a large leaf. Finding a treasure usually leads to a large game of chase as whoever has the coveted item is now the focus of all attention! The pups seem to enjoy every minute of every day no matter where they are are what the day entails.

The pups are all gaining well and weigh in now around 11 pounds. Nina still insists on providing occasional snacks and will easily jump over the wall that surrounds the puppy area to check in on everyone and linger so her pups can dine when the mood strikes.

The puppies have spent lots of time in the kitchen with family and friends this week as they become more dependent on human interaction and affection. It is also important in their development that they get used to all kinds of sights and sounds – so the kitchen and adjoining mud room introduce them to lots of sounds; pots banging, vacuum cleaners buzzing, washing machine churning, doors , people, music…. They greet every new situation with a wagging tail.

We will look forward to this final week ahead with the pups – relishing every last snuggle and cuddle; watching them mature and grow and dreaming of the great lives that will be waiting for them with each of their new families.

Nina’s puppies continue to grow in leaps and bounds and are now weighing in between 9 and 10 pounds. They still get the occasional snack from Nina – but for the most part their meals now consist of soaked kibble and a dash of goat’s milk. Nina is still watchful of her pups and is enjoying this new chapter that involves more playtime with her pups and less food provision.

The pups have been spending most of their time outdoors this week and the temperatures can get fairly warm during the afternoon so the puppies love to find a cool place to lay in the shade. In particular they like to lay behind the boxwood bushes in our garden where Nina had previously dug a few holes during the days just before the pups arrived. I guess the location that Nina had chosen as a den for her pups is still being put to good use after all!! The pups love to wiggle their way down into the coolest part of the soil and would probably snooze there all day if I would let them.

They are also becoming more interactive with each other and love to play a game of chase or tag over a small branch or a ball. The pups use their mouths quite frequently with each other during these play sessions; this is an important part of development as they learn exactly how hard they can use their mouth before it elicits a yelp or cry from a fellow littermate. The pups have also enjoyed a wide array of visitors this past week and are always a friendly welcoming committee for whoever happens to stop by.

We will look forward to a great week ahead as the pups continue to become more active and more of their personalities start to shine through!

Nina’s puppies have had an exciting week with lots of time spent exploring the great outdoors. The rainy days have been minimal for a change so the pups had lots of opportunity to spend time in their puppy play area up on the deck as well as down romping through the grass and gardens. They also have full reign of the sunroom now that Sparkle’s puppies have all left for their new homes, as well as time in the kitchen – so they have lots to keep them occupied and every day holds new sights and sounds for each of them.

Today was actually quite warm so the pups seemed to prefer either laying in the shade of our big birch tree or finding a cool place on the kitchen tiles to lay. Not much snuggling with each other in weather like this.

The pups are all weighing between 7 and 8 pounds and are enjoying the transition from puppy mush to kibble. They still steal a snack or two from Nina every day – so they do not miss a beat when it comes to meals. Nina continues to keep a very close eye on her pups and now that they will be nursing less she will start to interact with them in a different way which includes playing, chasing and correcting (on occasion). The pups have also enjoyed playing with some of our other golden girls this past week — Tia and Ivy in particular have taken the pups under their wing and play with the pups whenever possible.

We will look forward to the week ahead as the pups continue to mature in leaps and bounds and we begin to see their tiny personalities emerge! Hopefully the sunshine will continue so that the pups can maximize their playtime outdoors – which seems to be where they have the most fun!